Renn Mill Center Announces Strategic Partnership Alberta-based Renn Mill Center Inc. announces strategic partnership with Wisconsin based H&S Manufacturing Company Inc. to expand markets. 

LACOMBE, Alberta, June 18, 2019 – Renn Mill Center Inc. has announced their new strategic partnership in the form of a distribution agreement with H&S Manufacturing Company Inc. Both companies are leading manufacturers of feed processing, hay, and forage equipment. Under the new agreement, Renn will help to expand the Wisconsin based manufacturer’s full line of manure spreaders, feed processing equipment, and hay and forage equipment in Western Canada. Renn will also work with H&S as their distributor for Australia. H&S and Renn will look for other ways to collaborate in the future. “While we are equipment manufacturers first, our goal is to provide farmers and ranchers with innovative, reliable, and serviceable equipment. Our connection with farmers and ranchers allows us to easily distribute the H&S line of equipment through our existing channels. H&S’s commitment to quality manufacturing and excellent service fits perfectly with our commitment to our customers,” said Renn Mill Center Inc. President Doug Hilsabeck. “This partnership is an excellent fit. It creates a peer to peer connection that allows us to share industry knowledge, manufacturing expertise, and marketing resources to help both companies provide quality innovative products to the agriculture industry.” The Renn Roller Mill has a history of over 60 years, and for the past 25 years they have been produced in Lacombe, Alberta. In 2016, Renn purchased Jiffy Products, whose product line includes bale processors and hay rakes. With its manufacturing facility located in Lacombe, Alberta, Renn specializes in the development, manufacturing, distribution, and sales of hay and feed processing equipment, as well as grain bagging equipment. Their Central Alberta location is ideal to warehouse equipment and parts. H&S Manufacturing Co. Inc. has been manufacturing quality agricultural equipment since 1967. The company started as a manufacturer of feeding equipment for Wisconsin dairy farms and has become a globally trusted supplier of agricultural equipment including rakes, manure spreaders, grinder mixers, and bale wrappers. “As a fellow manufacturer of equipment for the feed processing and the hay and forage industries, Renn Mill Center Inc.’s partnership provides an opportunity to expand our footprint in Canada and Australia,” said H&S President Craig Harthoorn. “We have full confidence in the ability of Renn to provide current and future H&S customers in both Canada and Australia with the support they need, as both of our companies share the values for innovative equipment, quality manufacturing, and top-level aftermarket support. By offering both lines of equipment, farmers and ranchers will benefit more than if they were working with each company independently. The two companies will be able to grow quicker and more efficiently through this partnership than if we were to do it alone.” 

Ivor Bernatsky, MSc, CMC 

Managing Partner Media Message Inc. 

5021 50th Avenue, Lacombe, AB T4L 1K4 

Office: 403-782-5580 

Mobile: 403-597-6414 

Email: ibernatsky@mediamessage.ca 

Web: www.mediamessage.ca

FarmRite associations discuss the future of farmer-led research with  provincial agriculture minister 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

(Lethbridge, Alberta) November 7, 2019 – The six agriculture research associations that make up FarmRite recently met with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen to discuss  priorities for agriculture research in the province. 

At the meeting on Oct. 30 in Edmonton, the Minister verbally committed to renewing a core capacity  grant and pledged an additional $2 million per year through CAP for projects. Key priorities of the  FarmRite delegation included flexible, stable and sufficient funding for core functions including  manpower, capital, operating, project and extension activities. 

“Today, every dollar invested in agricultural research generates $32, showing a healthy return on  investment,” said Michel Benoit from Falher, chair, SARDA Ag Research. “And primary production is  the root of that healthy industry. We need to continue our work in agriculture research to ensure the  industry remains vital now and into the future, and to help to lead us to more value-added production in  Alberta.” 

The FarmRite lobby trip included directors from the Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA),  Farming Smarter, Lakeland Agricultural Research Association (LARA), SARDA Ag Research, West Central Forage Association (WCFA) and Peace Country Beef and Forage Association (PCBFA). The  delegation shared a united message about how the government can support farmer-led research in Alberta. 

Other topics of discussion included the need for more processing of commodities such as canola, potatoes  and beef, and the necessity to attract investment at all levels of the industry. 

“The Minister is committed to farmer-led research and that will be his No. 1 priority once farm safety is  completed,” noted Barry Redel from Consort, director, CARA. “Roundtable discussions regarding  research will begin as soon as December.” 

FarmRite collaborators are committed to working closely with the government of Alberta, Alberta  producers’ commissions and the province’s colleges to meet the innovation, research and extension needs  of Alberta’s producers. 

About FarmRite 

FarmRite is a group of six research associations in Alberta that work directly with farmers and land  stewards to bring best practices into the norms of agricultural production. Individually, the organizations  involved act as bridges from pure and applied science to on-farm practice improvements and knowledge  growth. 

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Contact: 

Ken Coles, General Manager 

Farming Smarter 

Tel. 403-317-0022 

ken@farmingsmarter.com

                                  Media Release  

Science unveils new pathway to broiler chicken growth performance  “Yeast Bioactives” technology helps farmers meet the challenges of organic, RWA & more 

July 17, 2019 

MONTREAL, QUEBEC — A new tool has emerged for broiler chicken operations seeking  new ways to optimize results while keeping aligned with a full range of the latest organic, raised  without antibiotics (RWA) and conventional market opportunities.  

New study results showcased at the Poultry Science Association annual meeting, July 15-18 in  Montreal, add to a growing body of science showing the unique potential offered by ‘Yeast  Bioactives’ – a new form of feed technology pioneered and introduced by Canadian Bio-Systems  (CBS Inc.)  

“We are very pleased with the results we are seeing with this new feed technology,” says  producer Mike Edwards of Edwards Family Organics near Millbank, Ont., a family-run farm  that includes the broiler chicken operation where the trial was conducted. “It’s a new tool that  has become a valuable part of our overall production approach – in particular, helping us to  lower our bacterial challenges and promote better gut health. We’re seeing less issues. We’re  achieving significant improvements in growth performance. It’s exciting to have a tool like this  come into the marketplace that is eligible for use in organic.” 

Yeast Bioactives technology, launched in late 2018, is a yeast-based innovation designed for use  as a feed supplement in diets for poultry, swine and ruminants. The technology features  enzymatically hydrolyzed yeast carbohydrates that offer advantages over conventional yeast cell  wall supplements (the enzymatic hydrolyzation process makes the yeast carbohydrates more  soluble and thus more effective).  

Yeast Bioactives offers benefits as an enhanced yeast technology supporting an optimal  environment for animal wellness, performance and related productivity, says Paul Garvey,  Poultry Sales Manager with CBS Inc. It also offers benefits as a grain management technology,  helping to mitigate a number of potential threats that can undermine feed quality, animal  performance, animal health and food safety. As a bio-based feed ingredient, it is the type of  solution favored not only on-farm but also by major retailers and by consumers. 

“The poultry industry has the potential to continue as one of the most progressive and  successful sectors in agriculture, but as it continues to diversify and evolve there is a strong  need for new options in the toolbox at the producer level, particularly for operations targeting  reduction or replacement of antimicrobial use,” says Garvey. “The results we’re seeing with  Yeast Bioactives on commercial poultry farms point to this as a very effective option to support  highly productive and sustainable operations across all types of production.” 

Edwards Family Organics is an early adopter of the Yeast Bioactives technology via Maxi Nutrio, which received approval for use in certified organic production in 2018 and has seen steady adoption in all forms of poultry operations. Mike and Krista Edwards, who have a young 

family with three children, were one of four applicant families approved as a new entrant to the  industry in 2017, under the Chicken Farmers of Ontario’s New Entrant Program. Their  relatively new broiler chicken operation is certified organic and places on average 17,500 birds.  Mike is also Manager of Nutritional Services at Jones Feed Mills Ltd. and has over a decade of  experience working in the feed and nutrition business, including with a specific focus on poultry  production including supporting organic producers with the Yorkshire Valley Farms group. 

“Yeast Bioactives technology fits well with the unique challenges of operating under certified  organic requirements,” says Edwards. “Our operation along with others using it in our organic  producer association are now getting results comparable to conventional producers. A number  of our producers are actually producing well ahead of the provincial averages for conventional  production.” 

The trial results unveiled at the Poultry Science Association meeting confirm advantages that  the Edwards’ farm and other early adopters have seen over the past several months, while  providing valuable information on dosage response, he says. “The trial data will help us drill  down to the optimal rates we want to use.” 

The trial involved a total of 16,320 newly hatched Ross 708 broiler chicks. The study was  designed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with a commercially available Yeast  Bioactives product (Maxi-Nutrio) on performance and health of broiler chickens raised under a  commercial organic production system. A subsample of 360 birds were randomly selected and  placed in 18 identical floor pens with 20 birds / pen for a 28-day feeding study. The  experimental pens, which provided 966 cm² per bird of floor space, were located within the  barn and were fitted with individual feeders and waterers. Birds were randomly assigned to one  of three dietary treatments with or without Maxi-Nutrio supplementation (one without, one  step-down dose and one full dose). Results showed clear growth performance advantages with  Maxi-Nutrio supplementation, with the most pronounced beneficial effects observed in the full  dose treatment (1 kg/tonne).  

“Even with the inherent stressors of an organic system, the results shown during the trial were  very strong,” says Rob Patterson, CBS Inc. Technical Director. “With the rising popularity of  organic and RWA approaches, and the overall shift in production approaches toward a  preference for bio-based solutions, we see the adoption of this type of enhanced yeast feed  technology continuing to expand. It’s an important part of our portfolio of CBS Inc. Feed  Science Platforms.” 

CBS Inc. is an innovation-focused company that researches, develops and manufactures a wide  range of bio-based products used in feed, food and industrial applications. More information on  the Yeast Bioactives commercial organic production trial and the data it produced is available  on the CBS Inc. website at www.canadianbio.com. More information on CBS Inc. Feed Science  Platforms is also available at fsp.canadianbio.com. 

### 

Contact 

Media Assistance: Brad Brinkworth 

bbrinkworth@sermo.farm | 587-897-7405 

More information: 

Paul Garvey, Poultry Sales Manager 

pgarvey@canadianbio.com | 226.646.7282 

Canadian Bio-Systems Inc. 4389 — 112 Ave. S.E. Calgary, AB, T2C0J7

AGRI-FOOD MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE TRANSFERRING RESOURCES TO INDUSTRY ALLIES

News release

Agri-Food Management Institute transferring resources to industry allies
Organisation winding down operations

For immediate release

Guelph ON, 09 April 2019 – After over ten years of serving the agri-food sector in Ontario, the Agri-Food Management Institute (AMI) will be transferring its resources to industry allies and winding down its operations as a result of changes to its funding structure.

Farm Management Canada will take over the hosting of AMI’s online business management tools, resources and workshops so they can continue to provide value to farmers. Food Processing Skills Canada will be the new host of the online management tools for processors.

“We are extremely proud of AMI’s efforts to promote business management and develop tools and resources to help farmers and processors with business planning, management and strategic thinking,” says AMI Vice Chair Laurie Nicol. “I’m proud of the work our past and current board members have put into this organization; this was not an easy decision to make.”

Farm Management Canada has partnered with AMI on various projects in the past, making them an ideal host for the farm-related reports, online training tools and other resources that AMI has developed. Food Processing Skills Canada has effectively grown their training platform over the past several years and AMI’s online materials will complement their existing resources.

A 2016 study by AMI in partnership with Farm Management Canada established the first-ever link between farm business management and profitability, and identified the top seven habits of Canada’s most successful farmers. Other successful initiatives included the popular Advanced Farm Management Program, a series of regional food business-focused conferences, and a widely used program that supported the inclusion of business management topics and speakers on the agendas of industry events.

AMI had its start as a funding program dedicated to farm business management and administered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council. After becoming a stand-alone organization with support from the provincial and federal governments, AMI focused its activities on farm business management training and awareness, and eventually saw its mandate expand to include food and beverage processing businesses as well.

The Agri-food Management Institute will cease operations effective April 30, 2019 and encourages interested parties to contact Farm Management Canada or Food Processing Skills Canada for program or training information.

Farmers Increasingly Rely on Strategic Tillage Tools for Agronomic Needs

As more farmers incorporate tillage into their farm management practices to address specific agronomic needs, LEMKEN has unveiled its newest compact disc harrow, the Rubin 10.

The Rubin 10 completes LEMKEN’s versatile line of compact disc harrows, which has evolved over the past two decades to meet a broad range of strategic tillage needs facing Canadian farmers.

“As farmers critically assess the agronomic needs on their farms, we’re increasingly seeing them turn to strategic tillage to address many of those needs,” says Laurent Letzter, Managing Director of LEMKEN Canada. Letzter says he has seen strategic tillage used across Canada to resolve challenges such as:

• Mixing large volumes of organic matter evenly into the soil in one pass for efficient trash management while minimizing labor and fuel costs
• Mechanically killing weeds, including herbicide-resistant weeds
• Disrupting disease and pest cycles, and interrupting the evolution of fungicide resistance
• Encouraging weed seeds to germinate in the fall or before a pre-season herbicide application to maximize the effectiveness of the herbicide
• Improving soil structure and water infiltration
• Smoothing out ruts in fields to improve seeder and sprayer operation
• Breaking up pastures
• Managing the effect of severe weather variability by reclaiming land around potholes and sloughs

Intensive, Shallow Cultivation

Beginning with the launch of its first compact disc harrow, the Rubin 9 in 2001, LEMKEN has developed a full slate of compact disc harrows that allow farmers to perform intensive shallow cultivation at high working speeds in one pass to achieve uniform mixing of heavy organic matter in any soil type, crop, or farming system.

To answer a need for shallower stubble cultivation that also provides one-pass seedbed preparation in light and medium soils at a working depth of up to four inches, LEMKEN developed its popular Heliodor machine in 2005 with widths of up to 52 feet.

The need for a heavier machine that was capable of deeper cultivation in heavy soil and dense corn residue led to the Rubin 12 compact disc harrow in 2013 with its single-pass, 29-inch diameter discs and working depth of up to eight inches.

Rubin 10 Bridges the Gap Between the Heliodor and Rubin 12

As refinements were made over the years to the Heliodor and Rubin 12, LEMKEN began developing a new machine to replace the Rubin 9 – the anchor of LEMKEN’s compact disc line. Years of design and testing has resulted in a new machine that fully bridges the gap between the Heliodor and Rubin 12, creating a product line that can meet every farmer’s stubble cultivation needs.

While the Rubin 9 has sold 22,000 units worldwide, reflecting the strong demand for this mid-level compact disc, the new Rubin 10 exceeds the capabilities of the Rubin 9 and will replace it as LEMKEN’s mid-range compact disc when production begins in 2019.

Lower Fuel Costs; Longer Service Life

The Rubin 10 offers the same intensive uniform mixing as the Rubin 9 at shallow depths of up to 6 inches. It handles heavy trash more aggressively than the Rubin 9 with its bigger, stronger discs that measure 25 inches in diameter. It also delivers more efficient field performance with its new symmetrical disc arrangement on both sides of the machine, which eliminates lateral pull, ensuring the machine pulls straight and reducing fuel consumption. This disc arrangement was first mastered on the Rubin 12.

The Rubin 10 features surface-hardened DuraMaxx for a 30 per cent longer service life than conventional discs. Each disc is equipped with override protection that significantly minimizes frame loads when discs hit obstacles in the field.

The integrated harrow behind the first row of discs and the rear impact and leveling harrow improve the crumbling and distribution of soil and organic matter for an even, seedbed-ready finish. The Rubin 10 will replace the Rubin 9 when it begins production in January 2019.

“LEMKEN’s ongoing development of compact disc harrows and other strategic tillage tools continues to be driven by farmer demand for effective strategic tillage solutions that address agronomic challenges in a single pass while leaving the field seedbed ready,” says Letzter.

LEMKEN Announces New Acquisition

As LEMKEN continues pursuing new products and new solutions to help farmers operate more efficiently, the company has announced it has just acquired two divisions of the Dutch company, STEKETEE. With this recent acquisition, LEMKEN will be adding innovative hoeing technology for mechanical weed control to its product range, as well as advanced camera technology that enables these STEKETEE machines to hoe between the rows and between plants within a row.

“As the acceptance of chemical crop care agents decreases, and farmers grapple with the growing problem of herbicide-resistant weeds, the addition of the STEKETEE technology to LEMKEN’s product offering bolsters our company’s commitment to always provide farmers with the right strategic tillage machines to do the job effectively and efficiently, both now and into the future,” says Letzter.

Winnipeg, Manitoba — Earlier today, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced a series​ of enhancements to the Advance Payments Program (APP) that support farmers facing cash flow challenges in Canada’s grains and oilseeds sector. These changes include increasing the maximum allowable limit available under the APP from $400,000 to $1,000,000, and expanding the program’s interest-free component for canola from $100,000 to $500,000 until market conditions stabilize. The interest-free component will remain at $100,000 for all other commodities included under the APP.

“The current market situation is creating great uncertainty for farmers,” says Bernie McClean, President of Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA). “With cash flow being farmers’ most immediate concern, we welcome enhancements that will help build financial predictability for at least the short to medium-term.”

“The Canola Working Group established by Minister B​ibeau has focused on a number of short, medium and long-term tools that could help farmers and the wider industry manage through the current market access issues with China,” says Rick White, CEO at CCGA. “With planting just getting started and higher than normal stocks of last year’s canola crop remaining in farmers’ bins, we’re pleased to see actions being taken on the recommendations of the working group.”  

With the APP program improvements just announced, CCGA is working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada program staff to incorporate the changes into the cash advance program. “We’re already working on the necessary changes to our systems so that farmers can access these benefits quickly,” says White. White expects CCGA will be in a position to process applications at the new limits in the near future. CCGA began issuing advances under the 2019-20 APP on April 1, 2019.

Farmers are encouraged to go to www.ccga.ca​ for updates or call 1-866-745-2256 to speak with a CCGA Contact Centre representative.

In addition to the changes announced about the APP, Minister Bibeau also announced a 2-month extension to the application deadline for AgriStability.

“We sincerely thank Minister Bibeau for taking action to support Canada’s farmers during this time of uncertainty,” says McClean. “We look forward to the continued efforts of the Canola Working Group and future actions to support farmers and Canada’s canola industry.”

CCGA represents canola farmers on national and international issues, policies and programs that impact farm profitability and is an official administrator of the Government of Canada’s Advance Payments Program.